Why Amazon Will Enter the Overcrowded Tablet Market -- PC Mag

carld · 05-23-2011, 11:28 AM

More grist for the Amazon tablet rumor mill.

http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2385684,00.asp

anamardoll · 05-23-2011, 12:11 PM

Seems like we've heard this before.

Amazon has lotsa web services. Cloud storage, music, video, books, app store, etc. It can't be denied. BUT, currently almost all those services are already easily accessed via existing tablets.

Either Amazon shuts off service to everyone else in order to make their tablet stand out as exclusive, or they end up only appealing to people who don't know they can get all those Amazon services on existing tablets. And people who aren't terribly techie minded either (a) don't want a tablet or (b) will probably buy an iPad because of it's reputation in the media for user friendliness.

I'm not saying an Amazon tablet won't sell - it will. There are a LOT of Amazon fans who will buy an Amazon tablet because they like the Amazon CS or the Amazon experience. And I'm not saying that Amazon shouldn't have a tablet - they should, if only because B&N has one, and you can't let your competitor fill a market that you don't fill.

BUT, I wouldn't write an article arguing that the Amazon web services totally give them an edge in this market. You can get a Galaxy Tab today that will run the Amazon apps just as well as any future supposed Amazon tablet will. IMHO.

RainingLemur · 05-23-2011, 01:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by the Article

While this would surely be a competitive offering against Apple's iPad, I believe Amazon's move would be aimed more at the other Android competitors instead. In fact, I believe Amazon is smart enough to know that trying to go after Apple, with its huge marketing budget and well-run retail stores, would be folly.

They should have put in "...trying to go after Apple would likely result in more lawsuits."

Although, I think that Amazon has enough going for it to be a major competitor. As long as the hardware works well and everything Amazon hopes to put into their tablet is integrated well enough, anyhow.

HarryT · 05-23-2011, 01:26 PM

Amazon just wants people to buy ebooks; I really don't think they're that bothered what device they read them on.

Tess89 · 05-23-2011, 01:37 PM

If by some miracle they can make it much lighter than the NC, I'm in regardless of any extra features.

shel · 05-25-2011, 11:28 AM

My wife and I have become amazingly attached to the K3G we bought to take on a trip. Because there's always some contention over who's going to use it, I keep thinking I'd like one "of my own."

What I'd really like is a K3G that's a little more of a tablet, i.e. something I could _easily_ use to check e-mail, surf the web, or SSH into a client's server. Yes, I can do much of that with a stock K3G, and some more of it with a jailbroken K3G, but it's not easy.

Of course, I want the "more of a tablet" item to be just as good for reading books!

So ... give me the same handy overall form factor, but with a bigger screen, the same excellent battery life, but with a little more oomph, the same choices of connectivity, then add a reasonable touch screen so the el-crapo "keyboard" can go away, and open up the OS so I can add the stuff I want. I'd buy one in a heartbeat.

-Shel

anamardoll · 05-25-2011, 01:05 PM

I don't think you're ever going to get the K3 battery life on a tablet device. Not if the tablet device is LCD-based like an Amazon tablet almost certainly will be.

That's my opinion, anyway.

05-23-2011, 11:28 AM	#1
carld Wizard Posts: 2,698 Karma: 4748723 Join Date: Dec 2007 Device: Kindle Paperwhite	Why Amazon Will Enter the Overcrowded Tablet Market -- PC Mag More grist for the Amazon tablet rumor mill. http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2385684,00.asp

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05-23-2011, 12:11 PM	#2
anamardoll Chasing Butterflies Posts: 3,132 Karma: 5074169 Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: American Southwest Device: Uses batteries.	Seems like we've heard this before. Amazon has lotsa web services. Cloud storage, music, video, books, app store, etc. It can't be denied. BUT, currently almost all those services are already easily accessed via existing tablets. Either Amazon shuts off service to everyone else in order to make their tablet stand out as exclusive, or they end up only appealing to people who don't know they can get all those Amazon services on existing tablets. And people who aren't terribly techie minded either (a) don't want a tablet or (b) will probably buy an iPad because of it's reputation in the media for user friendliness. I'm not saying an Amazon tablet won't sell - it will. There are a LOT of Amazon fans who will buy an Amazon tablet because they like the Amazon CS or the Amazon experience. And I'm not saying that Amazon shouldn't have a tablet - they should, if only because B&N has one, and you can't let your competitor fill a market that you don't fill. BUT, I wouldn't write an article arguing that the Amazon web services totally give them an edge in this market. You can get a Galaxy Tab today that will run the Amazon apps just as well as any future supposed Amazon tablet will. IMHO.

05-23-2011, 01:26 PM	#4
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383099 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	Amazon just wants people to buy ebooks; I really don't think they're that bothered what device they read them on.

05-23-2011, 01:37 PM	#5
Tess89 Enthusiast Posts: 47 Karma: 498288 Join Date: Oct 2010 Device: Kindle	If by some miracle they can make it much lighter than the NC, I'm in regardless of any extra features.

05-25-2011, 11:28 AM	#6
shel Member Posts: 10 Karma: 74 Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Southern France or PNW USA Device: Kindle 3	My wife and I have become amazingly attached to the K3G we bought to take on a trip. Because there's always some contention over who's going to use it, I keep thinking I'd like one "of my own." What I'd really like is a K3G that's a little more of a tablet, i.e. something I could _easily_ use to check e-mail, surf the web, or SSH into a client's server. Yes, I can do much of that with a stock K3G, and some more of it with a jailbroken K3G, but it's not easy. Of course, I want the "more of a tablet" item to be just as good for reading books! So ... give me the same handy overall form factor, but with a bigger screen, the same excellent battery life, but with a little more oomph, the same choices of connectivity, then add a reasonable touch screen so the el-crapo "keyboard" can go away, and open up the OS so I can add the stuff I want. I'd buy one in a heartbeat. -Shel

05-25-2011, 01:05 PM	#7
anamardoll Chasing Butterflies Posts: 3,132 Karma: 5074169 Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: American Southwest Device: Uses batteries.	I don't think you're ever going to get the K3 battery life on a tablet device. Not if the tablet device is LCD-based like an Amazon tablet almost certainly will be. That's my opinion, anyway.

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